Five
Before All The Longings
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"Oh, you are early today?"
Joonmyeon smiles, nodding at his father that just came out from his gedroom and saw him standing in front of the bathroom, drying himself. "Good morning, dad. Did you sleep well?" He gets a nod and a smile back.
"Are you goind somewhere?"
"The library, working on my project. Then meeting with Harit hyung."
"Do you want some breakfast?"
He stares long at his father before nodding and watches him disappear between the house wall. He was planning to leave quietly as it's Sunday and Sophia just got back four hours ago and their father should rest well on his day off but he guesses he was a bit lout during his concert in the shower.
Stepping out of his bedroom fully dressed, he can smell the egg and bread that just being toasted and he takes long strides towards the kitchen to see a hearty meal being served on the table. His feet stop near the table and his eyes zoom at the bread back of his father that is busy cooking. It was only two years. The strong back he used to know shouldn't look like that.
"What are you doing just standing and not eating? Won't you be late?"
Joonmyeon follows his father's words and takes a seat, his heart tightening at the sight of the simple breakfast in front of him. He ate something similar yesterday morning too, also made by his dad but somehow ths one is making him want to cry.
"Here. I just quick-fry the leftover chicken since you are in a hurry. Eat up."
The smell goes straight through his nose and he swallows his saliva as the small bowl of chicken being place beside his plate of toasts. The perfect sunny-side up would already suffice and he and Sophia had been trained to have vegetables with their meals so the sliced tomato and the iceberg lettuce don't count but he being given shredded fried chicken too? "This is too much, dad."
"What are you saying? If you had told me you are going out early today, I would have cooked something better. Now eat. Do you want me to drop you off?"
He shakes his head as his mouth is busy chewing the breakfast toast before swallowing it in and looks at his father. "I'm taking the bus. But I might need you to pick me up, though."
"Anything. Just call me."
He nods at his father's small smile, teeth biting off a medium piece of the toast that being topped with egg, chicken, tomato and lettuce with roasted sesame sauce between them. His father tried not to show it but sensed it. 'I will make up for everything.' He really appreciate it but the elder doesn't have to. He did nothing wrong.
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Yifan stares at the piece of paper on the table. He drew that in his first year of university. It wasn't good but he liked doing it. It was just a hobby. He might at one time dreamt of opening his own shop but he doesn't know anything about business and also it made his parents happy so choosing business management is a win-win for everyone.
"It won't burn no matter how long you laser-eye it."
He sinks deeper into his chair, shifting his sight from the paper to Bella that is sewing something on a dress on a mannequin. 'A friend asked so I hoad to.' They arrived just last week and her visit wasn't even planned for but already she had working on a project. A soft purple dress with smal red flowers across the chest area. Pretty.
"Can you pass me that lace?" Bella watches as Yifan gets off from his seat wiht the said lace in hand while trying to hold the fold she made near the waistline. "Now, put it here."
Yifan follows and watches Bella sewing the two pieces together. He was skeptical when being asked for the lace as the dress was already fine without it but he doesn't design or sew for a living so of course he was wrong.
She gets up from her knees and stares at the dress, before turning to the male. "What do you think?" The taller's expression is unreadable but she sees that small nod.
"If the lace was longer, it would make it look messy."
"Oh, look who is thinking like me." She ignores Yifan's eye roll and puts away her needle and thread, glancing at the clock as her stomach grumbles. "Three already? For sure I thought it was only one-thirty." She turns to Yifan that is on his phone on the sofa. "What do you want to eat? I'm ordering a delivery, too lazy to go out."
"Anything is fine."
Bella heads towards the door of her office and opens it, calling the manager and places her order, telling her to treat the others with a drink each as she hands the girl her card. Closing back the door, she walks to the bookcase and pulls out a scrapbook before plopping down beside Yifan.
He looks at the book that being put on his lap wiht a frown before turning to his side. "What is this?"
"My designs and ideas."
Yifan doesn't move.
Bella sighs and opens a random page. "Look." She cups the male's face and forces it down, making Yifan looking at it by force. "I tried designing for guys' apparels but they are still can't compare with that one design of yours. Or the others that I have."
Yifan places the book properly on his lap and flips the pages one by one. He, being a business major and know nothing about this kind of thing, doesn't understand. "They are great. What are you talking about."
"Of course they are great but they still lack something. And I don't know what that is!"
He looks at the designs carefully, feeling Bella's head resting on his shoulder. The geometric-shaped flowers look really cool. It would sell.
"That is one of my favorite too." Bella casts her gaze over to the book, doesn't want to move her head. "Shirts, T-shirts or suits? Silver outline on black suits is not bad."
"Full-colored on T-shirt pocket and both sleeves."
Bella can't help smiling as she finds Yifan amusing. It was two years ago when they talked about something like this. "I will start on a sample then."
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Joonmyeon just smiles, mouth busy chewing his dinner as he watches the two friends playing around with his laptop. He created the game just for fun with the simplest interface ever but apparently Jirayu and Harit can't stop playing with it. "I'm almost finish my dinner."
Jirayu takes a quick glance at the younger to see he's telling the truth. Joonmyeon will be needing his laptop back then but he is winning. "How about a dessert? Just order anything, it's on the house! Take that, you fool!"
"You are the fool one! Take that!"
Joonmyeon finishes his last spoon of seafood gratin and pushes the empty dish to the side. Jirayu has the best chef ever. He mostly come here because he was forced to but the food plays a big part as well. Also, he can check up on Sophia now that she has started working here.
"Boss! Emergency!"
The sudden burst on the room by an employee that calling for him makes Jirayu turn. He doesn't get a lot of emergencies as his staff are very capable in solving those small ones so if he being needed, then it is a serious one.
"There is a fight outside!"
Joonmyeon frowns when the employee turns to look at him.
"And Sophia..."
That gets him rushing out of the room and heads toward the main dance floor as the staff shouting the direction from behind him. A crowd is gathering at a table in the corner and he walks over, squeezing himself between the othe patrons before catching a glimpse of Sophia hiding behind a woman.
"Still no apology? I never killed anyone before and I love these heels but a woman got to do what a woman got to do."
Joonmyeon's eyes widen as the lady rises her foot with the long, thin heel aiming straight to the guy's chest that is laying on the floor before the guy cowers and screams out his apology. The woman grabs the male up by the collar and bends his upper half, forcing him to bow at Sophia.
"I... I'm... I'm sorry..."
"What?! I can't hear you!"
"I'm sorry!"
"For what?!"
"Touching you without permission!"
"Better, much better."
The crowd starts to disperse and he sees Jirayu with Harit by his side talking to the lady as she hands him the guy. The anger of knowing Sophia was harrased by the scum is still there and he really wants to punch the guy but what the woman had done has make up for that. "Sophia."
"Who are you?!"
Joonmyeon stands tall before this admirable person as she shields Sophia from him. "I'm Joonmyeon, her brother." He watches the woman turn to his little sister for confirmation before stepping aside after Sophia's nod. "Thank you for helping my sister."
Sophia bows down, clasped hands still on her chest as what happened still shocked her. "Thank you so much, unnie. Thank you so much!"
"Ah, just a small matter. That guy should have seen it soming if he was stupid enough to do that."
Joonmyeon can't help admiring the woman in front of him, just like how his sister is looking at her with amazed eyes. Of course he won't heistate to kill such trash to protect Sophia but he could never done it coolly like that.
"So, I guess I will be going. You should et on wiht your work too. I need to find that owner since I need to borrow his chef."
"Ah, unnie! You haven't told your name!" The music turns back on at the loudest volume and Sophia can only see the lady mouhted her name. She can't make it out so she just nods, waving back as she watches her leave. "Oppa, that unnie is so cool."
Joonmyeon has to nod because it is the truth. He turns to Sophia when the woman is no longer in sight and checks up on her. "Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? What are you doing out front anyway?" His eyes zero at the black vest and apron his little sister is wearing.
"I'm okay. That unnie confronted the guy before he could do worst." She pushes Joonmyeon's hands away that keep turning her around, looking for injuries. "The manager needed an extra help. A few guys went out to shop. I'm going bakc to the kitchen later."
"I'm telling dad about this, yes?" Joonmyeon waits before his little sister nod reluctantly.
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